A major problem in training new students of the violin or viola, or other bowed instruments, is avoiding poor habits with regard to the drawing of the bow. Specifically, in order to obtain a clear and proper tone from the instrument and to achieve maximum efficiency of bowing, it is important to draw the bow along a line substantially perpendicular to the strings at an optimum distance from the bridge, utilizing a properly relaxed arm and wrist movement. Maintaining the bow in the correct perpendicular movement is often quite difficult for the students, and even an experienced performer may lapse from the correct technique.
This problem has been recognized in the past, and many attachments for violins and the like have been previously described. Many of these devices have also been secured to the fingerboard, but utilize wire-type guide members permanently secured to the clamp means. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 766,549, 1,192,030, 2,782,670 and 3,306,150, as well as German Patent No. DE3,100,676, applied for Jan. 12, 1981 and issued Apr. 15, 1982, British Patent No. 19,694 of 1889 and Netherlands Patent No. 28,771 of 1932. In addition, removably secured devices utilizing a pair of secured flat plates in spaced relationship to permit the passage of a bow therebetween, is described in Swiss Patent No. 135,769 of Dec. 16, 1929, and another removable flat guide showing a single guide member is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,107,568. In addition, it has been suggested to secure the bow guide to the so-called "F holes" through the body of the violin, such as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,222,302.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a bow guide for a stringed instrument wherein the major structure of the guide can be substantially permanently or semi-permanently affixed to the instrument's fingerboard, but wherein the guide surfaces can be readily removable. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bow guide that is substantially inconspicuous, so as to avoid distracting the player who may look at the instrument while playing, as well as for aesthetic reasons, the base of which appears to be an extension, or part, of the fingerboard.